Tractor mounted windrower having adjustable ground engaging supports



Jan. 25, 1955 K. A. SPIETH ET AL 2,700,265

TRACTOR MOUNTED WINDROWER HAVING ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORTSJan. 25, 1955 K. A. SPIETH ET AL 2,700,265 TRACTOR MOUNTED WINROWERHAVING ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORTS zza Jan. 25, 1955 K. A.sPlETH ET AL 2,700,265

TRACTOR MOUNTED WINRWER HAVING ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORTS FiledMarch 1e, 1951 5 sheets-sheet s MKM,

Jan. 25, 1955 K. A. sPlETH ET Al. 2,700,265

TRACTOR MOUNTED WINROWER HAVING ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORTSFiled March 16, 1951 5 sheets-sheet 4 d2 '232 (ZM y 2569641/ a/WM,

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Jan. 25, 1955 K. A. sPlETH ET AL 2,700,265 TRACTOR MOUNTED WINDROWERHAVING ADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUPPORTS Filed March 16, 1951 5Sheets-Sheet 5 ffy? 7570/ l ff War/Yayi.

a 2,700,265' Ice Patented Jan. .25 1955 TRACTOR MOUNTED WINDROWER HAVINGADJUSTABLE GROUND ENGAGING SUP- PORTS Karl A. Spieth, Omaha, Nebr., andAbram P. Balzer, Mountain Lake, Minn.

Application March 16, 1951, Serial No. 215,948

2 Claims. (Cl. 5623) This invention relates to improvements in swathersor windrowers which are adapted for attachment to a farm tractor fortravel through a field. C

The principal object of the present invention 1s the^ provision of anovel means whereby the cutting blade or the swather is maintained at asubstantially predetermined distance above uneven terrain so that theadvance portion of the swather is prevented from contacting the groundduring its normal travel.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a manuallyadjustable means whereby the swather may be selectively adjusted to cutgrain at various distances from the ground.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for supportingthe cutting blade of a swather at variable heights.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a swather havingadjustable means whereby the headed material may be selectivelydelivered transversely in either direction across the swather to deliverthe material in a windrow at either side of the swather.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a swather having asubstantially rectangular frame, a sickle disposed at the leading edgeof said frame, means at the rear portion of said frame for mounting saidframe toa tractor for pivotal movement on a horizontal axis, and a sledmember positioned beneath the central forward portion of said frame toadjustably carry said sickle above the ground level.

With these objects in view as well as other objects which will appearduring the course of the specification reference will be had to thedrawings wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of a swather embodying this invention showncoupled to the rear end of a farm tractor for operation therewith andhaving some parts broken away and other parts not shown.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the swather shown in Fig. l with afragmentary part of the tractor shown to indicate the connection of theswather to the tractor.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line Illlll of Fig. 2 looking towardthe front or cutting edge of the swather with some of the parts omitted.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV--IV of Fig. 1 with some ofthe parts broken away and some in section.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line V-V of Fig. 2 with some ofthe parts in section and some broken away.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the sled structure and controlparts.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the sled member shown inoperative position on irregular terrain.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line VIIIHVIIIof Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a schematic view showing the swather as shown and used with aright hand pick-up combine.

Fig. 10 is a schematic view showing the swather as constructed for usewith a combine having a left hand pick-up.

Throughout the several views of the drawings like reference charactersrefer to similar parts and the numeral 10 designates a vswather framehaving two spaced apart parallel base members 12 and 14 which serve totie the frame parts in operative relation, and also to hinge the swatherto a farm tractor 16. Referring to Fig. 5 it will be noted that basemembers 12 and 14 are joined together in fixed relation by. cross bar 18to present ay rigid base with rearwardly projecting arms having a hingemember 20 adapted to be hingedly joined in back to back relation to thetractor 16 by means of pintles 22 which connect the rear bifurcated ends24 of coupling bars 26 to hinge members 20. Referring to Fig. 2 it willbe noted that the coupling bars 26 are rigidly secured to the axlehousing 28 of the tractor by means of bolts 30. The rear drive Wheels 32of the tractor serve t0 support the axle housing at a uniform distancefrom the ground level, thus providing a relatively xed vertical hingepoint for the rear hitch of the swather. Frame 1) is also provided witha tubular transverse frame member 34, a pair of end frame members 36 and38 joined at their rear ends to transverse frame member 34. Verticallydisposed frame members 40 join base members `12 and 14 with transverseframe member 34. The forward end portions of end frame members 36 and 38are secured respectively to opposite end portions of transverse sicklesupport bar 42 which is supported adjacent its central portion by thebase members 12 and 14. A centrally disposed frame work 46 spacedinwardly from the end frames 36 and 38 extend from a rear transversemember 44 supported on base members 12 and 14 to the sickle support bar42. The sickle support bar carries a reciprocatably mounted sickle bar48 provided with a series of blades 50 which when reciprocated provide ashearing action with the ledger plate guards 52 to sever the grain 54 inthe usual manner. Reciprocating movement of sickle bar 48 is imparted bya rocker arm 56 pivoted intermediate its ends at 58 to 46 with itsforward end positioned between two spaced` apart pins 60 rigidly fixedto sickle bar 48 whereby when the arm 56 is oscillated it willreciprocate said sickle bar 48. The rear end of rocker arm 56 is pivotedat 62 to one end of a pitman rod 64 which is operatively mounted at itsother end on eccentrically positioned pin 66 of a pitman wheel 63 whichis driven by jack shaft 7d mounted for rotation in bearings 72 fixed tocrossbar 18. A jack shaft '74 mounted in parallel relation to shaft inbearings 76 mounted on crossbar 18 is driven by the power takeoff shaft78 .driven by the tractor engine (not shown) by means not mounted at 92adjacent opposite end portions of frame member 34 to ears 90 which areintegral with said frame member. These arms are secured in the raisedposition by means of a transverse hollow rod 94 rotatably carried bybearing members 96, 98, and rigidly secured to frame member 34. Rod 94is above and in lparallel relation with frame member 34 and has a tixedradially disposed levers 102 at each of its outer extremities. Aconnecting link 104 connects one of said levers 102 with reel arm 86through pins 87 while connecting link 106 operatively joins the other ofsaid levers 102 to reel arm S8 through like pins. Levers 102 are inparallel relation and of like length, so that the reel shaft 108 mountedin `bearings 110 fixed to reel arms 86 and 88 is parallel with rod 94 atall adjusted positions.

Jack shaft '74 is provided at its forward end portion with a pair offixed belt wheels 112 and 114 which are driven whenever the tractorpower take-oft' is operating. A shaft 116 rotatably mounted in bearings118 carried by frame member 34 in parallel relation therewith. Shaft 116is providedA at its inner end with a belt pulley 129 which isoperatively connected with belt wheel 112 by a twisted belt 122. Theouter end of shaft 116 has a iixed belt driving pulley 124 which isdisposed in opera tive alignment with a pulley wheel 126 fixed to theouter extremity of reel shaft 108. A belt tensioning means for drivebelt 128 which operatively interconnects pulleys 124 and 126 comprisesan idling pulley 130 mounted on a standard 132 rigidly fixed to reel arm86 for free rotation, and a rocker arm 134 pivotally mountedintermediate its ends by a pivot 136 mounted in standard 132. The upperend of rocker arm 134 is provided with a xed axle 138 on which ismounted an idler pulley 140 which is normally urged rearwardly bytensioning spring 142 which is mounted under tension between pin 144mounted on arm 86 and pin 146 carried by the lower extremity of rockerarm 134. It will be noted that the pulleys 124, 126, 130, and 140 are insubstantially planar alignment, and that the endless driving belt 128passes from drive pulley 124 about idler pulley 130 then reverses itsdirection to pass about pulley 140 thence about reel pulley 126 and backto drive pullley 124. When so mounted the belt will be constantly tautdue to the action of tension spring 142. This reel shaft 168 is providedwith the usual reel spokes 148 to which are attached the conventionalslats 150 which extend the full length of the sickle bar and serve tofeed the grain to the moving belt platform 152. Reel shaft 188 isvertically adjustable relative to platform 152 by means of a manuallyoperable lever 154 which is rigidly lixed to rod 94 whereby when thelever is adjusted along toothed segment 156, levers 102 will be raisedor lowered to adjust said reel. Lever 154 is provided with an adjustabledetent 158 by means of which the reel may be secured in a substantiallyuniform elevation. lt will be noted that toothed segment 156 is rigidlyxed to transverse frame member 34 and receive rod 94 therethrough. Aspring 168 secured at its one end to pin 162 mounted to bracket 164which is fixed to vertical frame member 40 and at its other end to adpin 165 fixed to lever 154. This spring is maintaine under tension andconstantly urges the reel structure upwardly to counterbalance the reelload.

Referring now particularly to Figs. l and 2, it will be noted that theframe 10 is pivoted at 22 to coupling bars 26 whereby the frame may beraised vertically at its forward edge and secured in the desiredposition to conform to the height of the grain being harvested. Thesecuring means for holding the frame in a raised position includes aspring 166 fixed at its one extremity to a standard 168 and at its otherend to a chain 170 which is adapted to be adjustably anchored in a post172 to vary the effective length of the spring. This post 172 is weldedor otherwise secured to frame member 34 and is slit at 174 downwardlyfrom the top thereof to receive a chain link therein in a manner toserve as an anchor. It will be noted that there is a similar springprovided at an equal distance at the opposite side of the mediallongitudinal line of the tractor. These springs 166 serve to support thesickle of the swather at any desired height above the ground level andserve to counterbalance a desired portion of the torque force exerted bythat portion of the swather in front of the pivotal pintles 22. A f

pair of conventional elevator arms 1-'76 operated by tractor mechanism,not shown, but contained within the transmission housing and adapted torotate shaft 180 to which the arms 176 are xed. Free ends of elevatorarms 176 are interconnected with vertical frame members 48 by means of apair of links 182 and 184 pivoted together' at 186 and with link 182connected to the free ends of arms 176 by pivot 188 and link 184 ispivotally connected with member 40 by pin 190.

It will be noted that the tractor 16 has its operators seat 192 reversedfrom its usual position facing the steering wheel so that the operatormay be facing in the direction of frame 10. Furthermore, the tractor isto be driven in reverse to its usual direction of travel to properlyoperate the swather herein described. For operating the tractor with theseat 192 reversed, we provide a steering lever 194 and control pedals196 and 198 which may be coupled respectively to the steering apparatusand other control apparatus of the tractor 16 in any suitable manner.

Belt platform 152 includes an endless canvas belt 260 provided withcross slats 202 and mounted at its outer end on an idler roller 204 andat its inner end to drive roller 206. These rollers are rotatablycarried by frame 10 to support and drive the belt 200 in the directionindicated by the arrows on Fig. l. It will be noted that drive roller296 is spaced inwardly from end frame member 36 to present a windrowspace 208. It will be noted that grain delivered to moving belt 200 willbe delivered over roller 206 to the windrow space and the grain cut bythat portion of the sickle passing over the windrow space will bedirectly fed to said windrow space by the action of the reel.

This is a left hand swather and is adapted to be used -with a combinehaving a right hand pick-up. When the 4 combine has a left hand pick-upit is quite apparent that it must be operated with a right hand swatherin which the platform belt is moved to the left hand portion of theswather with the windrow space moved to the right hand side of theswather. To accomplish this the idler roller 204 is moved to a positionadjacent the end frame member 36 and the drive roller 206 is moved to aposition to the right side portion of the swather to form a windrowspace with the end frame member 38. Belt wheel 11.4

- serves to drive the endless belt 210 which passes over belt wheel 212xed to the rear extremity of the shaft 214 xed in drive roller 206. Abelt tightener comprising a sheave wheel 216 is adjustably carried bybracket 218 which is secured to a rear portion of frame 10. This sheavewheel 216 serves to adjust one of the reaches of belt 210 to maintainthe belt in taut driving relation to the sheave wheels 114 and 212.

Referring now to the adjustable load carrying means whereby thepartially balanced swather sickle structure is supported at asubstantially distance from the contour of the ground to present aproper cutting of the grain. Due to the fact that the usual side tillerwheels ordinarily used to support this load are very objectional in thepresent type of swather it has been found .desirable to support theswather sickle structure adjacent central structure of the swatherwhereby it will not interfere with the standing grain during the cuttingoperation. This load carrying means shown in most of the figures of thedrawings comprises two like sled members 220 and 222 disposed in spacedapart parallel relation and respectively pivoted by pins 224 to theupturned side flanges 226 of the respective sleds. These pins 224 arefixed to the free end of lever arms 228 having a looped end portion 230which is rotatably mounted on crossbar 232 which extends at right anglesto base members 12 and 14 in which its rounded end portions 234 arerotatably mounted. Stop pins 236 mounted in crossbar 232 prevent outwardseparation of lever arms 228 on crossbar 232. At the medial line ofcrossbar 232 a forwardly extending lever 238 is xed to rotate therewithand is provided with a rounded stem 240 which extends loosely through ahole 242 formed in a crossbar 244 which interconnects lever arms 228.Each of the lever arms 228 is provided with a bearing block 246 throughwhich the reduced end portions 248 of the crossbar 232 are looselylitted.

A rearwardly extending lever arm 250 rigidly xed at its forward portionto crossbar 232 is provided at its rear end with a vertically disposedsocket 252 in which the lower extremity of operating bar 254 is pivotedby pin 256. This bar 254 extends upwardly to pass through openings 258formed in the legs of U-shaped bracket 260 which is fixed to bar 262secured to frame member 34 and rod 94. Bar 254 is provided with a seriesof spaced apart holes 264 in its upper extremity to receive an anchorpin 266 which normally extends through a hole 268 formed in the verticalwall 270 of bracket 260 then through a hole 264 in the operating bar 254and into a hole 274 in the bar 262. Mounted on pin 266 is a washer 276which is positioned by a pin 278 to serve as a bearing for one end of acoil spring 280 which is mounted on pin 266 with its other end restingagainst bracket wall 270. The outer end of pin 266 is threaded toreceive the nut 282 by means of which the foot lever 284 is adjusted.This foot lever is tted about pin 266 to rest against nut 282 and ispivoted at 286 intermediate its ends to a leg 288 depending from bracket260. The lower end portion of 284 serves as a foot rest whereby thespring 280 may be compressed and the pin 266 removed from hole 264 inbar 254, so that the bar may be adjusted vertically to regulate theheight of travel of the sickle bar above the terrain. When the desiredposition of the sled members 220 is obtained by the proper manipulationof elevator arms 176 the pin may be permitted to drop through the properhole 264 to support the sled members in the desired elevation relativeto the sickle blade. Since this operation of adjustment may be necessaryduring the movement of the swather across the field due to thevariations in the height of the grain it is necessary that the one manoperator be able to use both his hands and feet to carry out all thenecessary operations in the proper sequence. Referring to Fig. 7 it willbe noted that when the terrain is irregular transversely of thedirection of travel of the swather across the field, that the relativevertical positions of sleds 220 and 222 will necessarily be varied. Thisside rocking movement is permitted .by the substantially universalconnection of sleds to the crossbar 232 as shown and described.

Referring to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the central frame sectionincluding the frame work members 46 which join the sickle support bar 42to the rear frame portion carried by base members 12 and 14 and thetransverse arm 34, includes the transverse angle member 44 spaced apartat its opposite ends from end frame members 36 and 38 respectively. Asshown in the present drawings the swather is formed to deliver the cutgrain to the left to deliver a windrow to the left side of the swatherthrough opening 208. When so constructed the backboard 292 is positionedso as to extend from drive roller 206 to temporary post 294 to closethat portion of the back adjacent the moving platform belt 152. Alsothere is spliced to the right end of angle bar 44 a section of angleiron 296 which is attached thereto by splice member 290 and at its otherend to post 294 and serves to carry one end of the idler roller 204 asshown. It is quite apparent that these back members could be reversed tothe left end portion of the swather to support the idler roller 204 atthe left end of the swather, and with the drive roller 206 positioned atthe right side of the medial line of the swather. This would involvesome slight rearrangements of the belt driving means for the driveroller.

To more clearly show the two forms of swathers, it will be noted thatFig. 9 shows the swather wherein the cut grain is delivered to the leftside of the swather to form a windrow LW, adapted to be picked up by theright hand pick-up combine RC. Fig. 10 shows a swather wherein the cutgrain is delivered to the right side of the swather to form a windrow RWadapted to be gathered up by a left hand pick-up combine LC. In bothinstances it will be noted that the combine will always be positioned inthe cut portion of the field thus avoiding driving over unthreshedwindrows.

What we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1. A windrowharvester for use in connection with a tractor having a power take-off,said harvester comprising a generally horizontal rectangular framehaving forward and rearward edges and including rearwardly extendinghorizontal base members, means connecting said base members to saidtractor for pivotal movement on a horizontal axis transverse to the lineof travel of said tractor, a sickle bar mounted on the forward edge ofsaid frame, an operative driving connection between said sickle bar andsaid power take-off, a pair of ground-engaging sled members spaced aparttransversely to the line of travel of said tractor and disposed belowthe forward portion of said frame whereby to support the weight thereof,a pair of inclined arms of equal length, each pivoted at its lower endto one of said sled members and at its upper end in said frame, the axesof all of said arm pivots being parallel to the pivotal axis of saidframe, and the pivotal connections of said arms to said frame beingcoaxial, a cross-bar generally parallel to the frame pivots of said armsand extending between said arms, said cross-bar being universallypivoted at its opposite ends to said arms respectively, at pointsintermediate the ends of said arms, and a member carried by said frame.and normally fixed with respect thereto, said last named member beinguniversally pivoted to said cross-bar at the mid-point of saidcross-bar.

2. The structure as set forth in claim l wherein said last named memberengaging said cross-bar constitutes a lever universally pivoted at itsfree end to said cross-bar and pivoted at its opposite end in said frameon an axis coaxial with the frame pivots of said arms, and with theaddition of means carried by said frame and operable to x said lever atvarious positions in its angular movement, whereby to adjust theelevation of said frame and sickle bar above the ground.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,816,519 Ewing et al July 28, 1931 1,917,352 Apel July 11, 19332,375,848 Hume May l5, 1945 2,435,910 Trinkle et al. Feb. 10, 19382,472,762 Sage .lune 7, 1949 2,502,599 Smart Apr. 4, 1950 2,514,764Herigstad July 1l, 1950

